Boards
These games can only be described as “using boards”. Dice might be involved to introduce some randomness.
Böse-Sieben-Spiel
Böse-Sieben-Spiel is an 18th-century German dice game that combines boards of various designs. Exactly the kind of design is up to the individual.
Number of Players
The game may be played with two or more players.
Set Up
- 2 six-sided dice
- A bunch of tokens
- One board
Before game play begins, the players determine turn order somehow. If the board contains a 4 spot, the players agree upon what happens. This could be nothing at all. It could be giving a token to the owner of the board. Really anything at all.
The Board
The board is constructed in any number of ways. It’s really up to the individual board owner. However, as a general rule, all boards contain all numbers possible except 4, which is an optional one.
Game Play
The players take turns. If the acting player rolls 3, 5, 6, 8, 9, 10, or 11, a token is placed on the spot on the board, also called rooms, with a number associated with the number. If the number is occupied, the acting player takes the token in that room. If the acting player rolls 2, also called the “Lucky Pig”, they take all tokens in all rooms except the one occupied by the number 7. If the acting player rolls 12, all tokens in all rooms on the board are taken and the acting player is the “Konig”. If the acting player rolls a 7, they place a token on the 7 room regardless of how many are already there and is called the “Hochzeit”.
Winning the Game
The game ends once all tokens have been taken. The player with the highest amount of tokens will win the game.
Drinking
A variation of the game involves drinking when 7 is rolled. Upon rolling a 7, the acting player takes a drink, as well as getting all tokens in the 7 room.
Betting
Coins may be used instead of tokens. When coins are used, players provide an agreed upon amount of coins before the game starts. The winning player gets all the coins at the end.
Mancala
Mancala is an ancient African game dating back to at least 3rd century A.D. that uses capturing and sowing.
Number of Players
The game is played with two players
Set Up
- 24 stones
- A mancala board (2 x 6 houses and at either end of the board are two large houses called a mancala)
Before game play begins, the players determine turn order somehow. Next, place 4 stones in each of the small houses. Each player gets one side of the board, called a store.
Game Play
The players take turns. The current player picks up stones from a house and places (called “sowing”) a single stone inside houses starting with a house in their store until there are no more stones picked up. Either player’s mancala could potentially be a house that receives a stone. If the last house is empty and in the opposing player’s store, pick up all stones in the corresponding house in the current player’s store, placing the stones in their mancala. If the last house is in the current player’s store, the current player gets another turn.
Winning the Game
The game ends once all stones are removed from all houses on one side of the board. At this time, if any player has stones on their side of the board, they pick those up and add them to their mancala.. The player with the highest number of stones wins the game.